Do you mean Real Contact instead of Full Contact? Full contact stick fighting means you're covered in padding, but fight with naked sticks. You'll still get plenty bruised, especially if you use heavier sticks. Real contact is what the Dog Brothers do, and you should probably be pretty comfortable sparring before you start with that.

I'd recommend starting with padded sticks like Smak-Stiks (which are pretty soft) and then maybe moving to Lameco sticks, which are padded rattan before going to actual rattan. Once you get to rattan you'll want a fencing helment, hockey gloves or the like, and probably elbow and/or knee pads.

As War Wheel said, don't do this if you can't afford to get injured. I've gotten plenty bruised wearing full WEKAF gear.

Do you mean Real Contact instead of Full Contact? Full contact stick fighting means you're covered in padding, but fight with naked sticks. You'll still get plenty bruised, especially if you use heavier sticks. Real contact is what the Dog Brothers do, and you should probably be pretty comfortable sparring before you start with that.

I'd recommend starting with padded sticks like Smak-Stiks (which are pretty soft) and then maybe moving to Lameco sticks, which are padded rattan before going to actual rattan. Once you get to rattan you'll want a fencing helment, hockey gloves or the like, and probably elbow and/or knee pads.

As War Wheel said, don't do this if you can't afford to get injured. I've gotten plenty bruised wearing full WEKAF gear.

I think I meant full contact at least to start. Real naked sticks with sufficient proctetive padding for the fighter. I still don't want to be overprotected so as to freely accept strikes with no fear of getting hit.

I can afford brusises,knots and the like, it's stitsches/concussions I'm more worried about-the injuries that cost money to fix.

I've messed around with the padded "smak-stiks" (or something similiar,don't remember the name) I don't like the way it seems to change your blocks w/ the stick. The padded Lameco sticks sound like a good place to start. I don't have any though so i'd have to buy some.

How does this sound to start out : (against a lighter to med. weight rattan stick) head protection (maybe a kendo "man" if that will hold up to the strikes), hand, wrist & forearm protection, and ellbow and knee pads. Oh, a cup wouldn't hurt too. If I used this gear to work live drills and short sparring rounds to start off would I at least be on the right track?

How does this sound to start out : (against a lighter to med. weight rattan stick) head protection (maybe a kendo "man" if that will hold up to the strikes), hand, wrist & forearm protection, and ellbow and knee pads. Oh, a cup wouldn't hurt too. If I used this gear to work live drills and short sparring rounds to start off would I at least be on the right track?

I think this would be a good way to start, but don't try to turn each other into vegetables. The only thing I would change, in time, is the headgear (i.e. move to a fencing mask).

The padded Lameco sticks sound like a good place to start. I don't have any though so i'd have to buy some.

I think Nick has them at bloodsport.com, or at least he used to.

Originally Posted by jspeedy

How does this sound to start out : (against a lighter to med. weight rattan stick) head protection (maybe a kendo "man" if that will hold up to the strikes), hand, wrist & forearm protection, and ellbow and knee pads. Oh, a cup wouldn't hurt too. If I used this gear to work live drills and short sparring rounds to start off would I at least be on the right track?

I have been using these for about six months and love them. Hurt enough to let you know you just got hit but won't damage you too much. I would suggest getting the ones with the handles. I have the ones without and it can be hard for people with smaller hands to hold onto them.

They do have a rattan core. So far they have been the best padded stick I have used.

I have also tried those cheap padded sticks from Century with the plastic core, which are pretty much worthless. They bend to much and you barely feel the hit, no matter how hard someone is swinging.

The Action Flex sticks are a bit better but still get a whipping action to them due to the softer core and don't hurt that much. The handles on them are nice, but that's really the only thing they have going for them.

I can attest the ATF sticks are probably the closest to "just right" - and the core is replaceable. I haven't been hit with one yet, but a little self testing revealed a nice compromise between padding and, ah "response"